DIY Solar Pool Heating Kit
Free heat from the sun, engineered to last 15–20 years.
SwimEasy pairs a high-performance tube-on-fin absorber with an over-molded, restriction-free header — so it captures more of the sun's heat and delivers more of it to your pool. Manufactured in the USA and proven in every climate.
- 4.9 · 77 Reviews
- Made in the USA
- 10-Year Limited Warranty
- Free Shipping Over $75
Customer installation · SwimEasy rack mount
Compatibility
Will it work with my pool?
SwimEasy connects with rubber couplings and stainless hose clamps — the fastest, simplest method for installing a solar pool heating system. It fits two situations:
Replacing old panels
SwimEasy is a direct replacement for any solar pool panel with a round 1.5″ or 2″ I.D. header that connects with rubber hoses and metal hose clamps — no re-plumbing required.
First-time installation
Every kit includes the mounts, hoses, clamps, and strapping for a complete single-row system. Add the optional valve kit to finish the plumbing connection to your pump and filter.
Before you order
Verify your header size.
Header size is the inside diameter (I.D.) of the manifold — the main pipe running along the top and bottom of your existing panel. It is not the outside measurement.
Measure the open end of the header pipe, then choose 1.5″ I.D. (1.9″ O.D.) or 2″ I.D. (2.375″ O.D.) at checkout. Not sure? Call us before ordering — a two-minute check avoids a return.
System Sizing
How many panels do I need?
Solar heating is sized to your pool's surface area, not its volume — heat escapes at the surface. Pick the swim season you want, and match that percentage of your pool's surface area in panels.
3–4 Month Season
Summer Boost
50% offset
Warmer water through the core summer months. Match half your pool's surface area in panels.
4–6 Month Season
Shoulder Season
60–80% offset
Comfortable swimming earlier in spring and later into fall.
★ Most Popular
8–10 Month Season
Spring to Fall
85–100% offset
Maximum season extension — panel area nearly matching your pool's full surface area.
Worked example
16′ × 32′ pool = 512 sq ft of surface
Goal: 4–5 month season (70% offset)
Needs: ~358 sq ft ≈ (7) 4′×12′ panels
Not sure what to order? We'll design your system — free.
Skip the math. Tell us about your pool and our solar experts will map your exact system: panel count, header size, layout, and everything to add to your cart. No cost, no obligation.
Get My Free System Design → or read the full sizing guide- Tell us about your poolJust your pool size, location, and swim-season goals — we can even measure your pool by satellite.
- Get your custom designA complete system plan sized to your pool and swim-season goals.
- Order & install with backupEverything arrives in one kit — with our experts a phone call away.
What's in the Box
Everything you need for a single-row install.
Each kit contains the hardware to mount your panels, connect them to each other, tie into your supply and return lines, and drain the system properly.
One per panel
Panel Install Kit
Mounts each panel to your roof or rack and makes the water connections from one panel to the next.
Full parts list
- (2) Heavy-duty mounting brackets
- (3) Stainless steel strap brackets
- (4) Stainless steel hose clamps
- (2) Panel connector hoses
One per system
Row Install Kit
Connects the row to your supply and return plumbing, and includes the parts for proper gravity drainage.
Full parts list
- (3) Stainless steel strap brackets
- (6) Stainless steel strap clamps
- (4) Stainless steel hose clamps
- (1) End cap
- (1) Vacuum relief valve
- (2) System connector hoses
- (2) Pipe connectors
One per system
Hold-Down Strapping
A 100 ft bulk roll that fastens panels securely to the mounting surface in any weather.
Strapping guidance
Normal and low-wind climates: three rows of strapping per panel. High-wind climates: five rows per panel.
Manual Temperature Control Kit — Premium Pentair Valves
A complete set of the valves needed to plumb your panels into your pool's pump and filtration system. One simple rule:
What's in the valve kit
Premium Pentair lube-free CPVC Optimum positive-seal valves, 2″–2.5″. A 3-port diverter valve turns solar on and off; two isolation valves shut the system off completely for maintenance and winterization; the check valve prevents backflow through your pump and filter.
- (1) Pentair 3-port solar valve with drain down
- (2) Pentair 2-port check valves
- (2) Pentair 2-port isolation valves, positive seal
The Engineering
Why SwimEasy outlasts and outperforms.
Solar panels live on a rooftop, expanding and contracting every single day for decades. Every SwimEasy design decision solves for that reality — and for moving more heat into your pool.

Universal Mounting System
Two-piece “free-floating” mounts cradle the header slightly off the roof and can be placed anywhere along its width — anchoring directly into rafters while letting the panel expand and contract without stressing the panel, the anchors, or your roof. One of the only systems designed to comply with home construction codes.

Over-Molded Header
Instead of welding the header to the absorber — joints that weaken with daily expansion — SwimEasy molds it directly around the absorber tubes under high heat and pressure. The result is a solid one-piece panel with no weld failures and no flow restrictions, so water moves freely and your filtration system runs without added back pressure.

Flexible Zip Joints
Expansion joints every 6 inches across the absorber let panel sections move independently — critical where trees, chimneys, or roof lines cast partial shade and create temperature differences across the panel. Unlike plastic welding, zip joints can't pinch or puncture the absorber surface.

Tube-on-Fin Absorber
The fin webbing between each tube collects heat alongside the tubes themselves, then transfers it efficiently to your pool water. It combines the heating surface of flat-plate designs with the flexibility loose-tube designs are known for — without the premature failure modes of either.
SwimEasy solar panels are certified by IAPMO R&T to NSF/ANSI Standard 50, SRCC Standard 100, and SRCC Standard 400.
DIY, With Backup
You install. We back you up.
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Step-by-step installation manualA comprehensive manual ships with every kit — plus a full installation video to watch before you build.
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Real installers on the phonePanel layout, plumbing connections, anything mid-install — our trained solar experts pick up and walk you through it.
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10-year limited warrantyBacked by panels proven to last 15–20 years in all types of weather.
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Fast, careful shippingOrder today and your kit is on your doorstep within days — free on orders over $75.
Common Questions
Before you order
How do I measure my header size?
Measure the inside opening of the manifold — the main pipe at the top and bottom of your existing panel. An inside diameter of 1.5″ corresponds to a 1.9″ outside diameter; an inside diameter of 2″ corresponds to 2.375″ outside. If you're unsure, call us before ordering and we'll confirm it with you.
My pool is a freeform or kidney shape — how do I find its surface area?
For geometric pools, surface area is simple math. For freeform shapes, satellite mapping can be used to measure your pool's surface accurately — or request a Free System Design and we'll measure and size the whole system for you.
Do I need the valve add-on kit?
For a first-time installation, yes — the valves complete the plumbing connection between your panels and your pool's pump and filtration system. If you're replacing an existing solar system, your valves are most likely already in place and new ones aren't needed.
I live in a high-wind area. Is the kit enough?
Each kit includes a 100 ft roll of hold-down strapping — three rows per panel is standard for normal and low-wind climates. In high-wind areas, add the optional High Wind Panel and Row Installation Kits, which secure the bottom header with spring-tension mounts and add two extra rows of strapping.
Can my roof handle the weight?
Almost certainly. A water-filled SwimEasy panel weighs only about 1 to 1.25 pounds per square foot — a fraction of typical roof design loads, and far lighter than a second layer of shingles.
What about freezing weather?
The system is designed to gravity-drain automatically every time the pump shuts off, so the panels sit empty when cold weather arrives. Panels must be fully drained whenever temperatures approach 40°F — the installation manual covers the simple plumbing rules that make this automatic, and our team can review your layout by phone.
What does the warranty cover?
SwimEasy panels carry a full five-year parts warranty against defects in materials and workmanship, which extends as a limited warranty through year ten. The complete warranty policy is printed in the installation manual included with your kit.
What happens if I get stuck during installation?
Call us at (619) 312-4822. Every kit purchase includes full access to our trained solar installation experts by phone — from panel layout to plumbing connections, we'll guide you through any step.
Still not sure what to order? We'll figure it out for you.
Get My Free System Design →The sale of this product is subject to the terms and conditions of sale.